Eyes to See the World Version 2
by Raven in Red
Summary: Jenae, a young blind woman, joins Will and Jack in pursuit of the Black Pearl. JackOC, set during COTBP. Rewritten version of my original story, less Mary-Sueish and slightly different storyline. First in the Love is Blind trilogy
1. A Pirate

_**Eyes to See the World - Version 2**_

By: Raven in Red

Jenae, a young blind woman, joins Will and Jack in pursuit of the Black Pearl. JackOC, set during COTBP. Rewritten version of my original story, less Mary-Sueish and slightly different storyline.

**Chapter One: **A Pirate

As a young girl, it had always been my dream to meet a pirate. I was always running around and playing Pirate Adventure with my little brothers.

All that changed in one day. I was twelve years old.

It was like any normal spring afternoon. My brothers and I were playing in the woods when I tripped and hit my head. I had a terrible headache, and everything started to swirl. I became dizzy and fainted. When my mother managed to wake me up the next day, all I could see was gray. After a few minutes, I could see some very faint outlines, but I had to face the truth: I was blind.

Now I am nineteen. My name is Jenae Elena Godfrey.

* * *

I woke up early one morning before the rest of my family. Mother, Samuel, and Lucas always slept in. Father went to work early. With nothing to do, I carefully crossed the room and opened my window. I sat on the little stool beside it and sighed happily as the breeze played with my long auburn hair. I could hear every bird that sang in the morning sunshine. I could smell the flowers right below my windowsill. Even without my eyesight, the world was still a beautiful place.

Later that day, my father took me to visit my friend Will. He was one of Port Royal's best blacksmiths, and I had known him since my childhood. After my father left to go home, I carefully opened the door to Will's shop and stepped inside. I immediately heard the pounding of his hammer as it came in contact with the anvil. Simply from the sounds, I could tell that he was making a new sword. After a little while, I heard him put the hammer down and walk over to me.

"Jenae, what a wonderful surprise!" He greeted me with a warm hug. He was slightly sweaty, but it didn't bother me.

"Hello, Will," I replied happily.

"How are you?" He asked kindly as he continued working on his sword.

Over the pounds of his hammer, I replied, "I'm very good, thank you. And how is my good friend?"

I could almost feel him smiling. "Good," I heard the happiness in his voice. He rummaged around, obviously looking for something important. He sighed angrily. "I think I've lost one of my chisels. I'm going to go get another one. Would you mind waiting a few minutes?"

"No, not at all," I said. He ran from the shop and down the street towards the general store. I clasped my hands together and paced the shop. Suddenly, I heard the door open. "Will?" I called out.

"Who's Will?" A different voice reached my ears. I became suspicious.

"Who are you?" I folded my arms. I heard the sound of clinking chains, so the man must have been in handcuffs.

"I am no one of your concern, love," he replied. Then I heard him rummaging around over by Will's tool rack. I boldly stood in front of him.

"What are you doing here? You are in my friend's shop, and I do not believe you have any right to be here," My voice was strong.

When he didn't answer, I grabbed his right arm and shoved the sleeve out of the way. After feeling past the handcuff on his wrist, I came across a raised patch of skin shaped like a P. Dropping his arm, I said in fear, "You're a pirate."

"Why, thank you for pointing that out, love," he said sarcastically.

"You'd better get out of here," I said threateningly. He stepped up to me and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"Or else what? What is a helpless young woman like you going to do to a pirate like me?"

"Ugh, get away!" I screamed and shoved his arms from my shoulders while backing up several steps.

"Wait…" he said, coming towards me again. For each step he took towards me, I took another step back. "You're…blind."

"Why, thank _you_ for pointing _that_ out!" I imitated him. He laughed and kept advancing on me.

"Why don't you just let me go about my business? I'll be gone before you know it, and this encounter will be our little secret," the last few words were in a whisper, and he was so close that I could smell the rum on his breath.

I took a sharp intake of air. "Alright. But you'd better be gone before Will gets back." Without an answer, he went to one of the anvils. I stood off to the side as he banged a hammer on his shackles, obviously trying to break them. I winced back in fright when I heard Will's donkey whine in pain. I heard gears turning, and the crunching sound of breaking metal. He was free, and the thought scared me a little. Suddenly, I heard the door open. Will ran up to me.

"Jenae, are you alright? What happened?" he asked with fear in his voice.

I replied in terror, "Will, there's a pirate in here! He was in handcuffs…but he got free!" I pulled him towards me by his lapels. "Will…he's _in here_!"

Will hugged me close to him. "Shh, shh, Jenae, it's alright. I'll deal with him." Then, after a couple moments of searching, he said, "Right where I left you." He was probably gesturing towards Mr. Brown, his boss. Then he walked over to the anvil. "Not where I left you." That's when I remembered the hammer. All of a sudden, I heard a slap.

"You're the one they're hunting…the one that Jenae saw in here…the pirate."

"Ahh, Jenae, that's such a beautiful name," the man answered.

"Shut up!" I boldly walked up and slapped him.

"The lass is bold, I see," he said in a tone that sounded like admiration.

"Jenae, stand back," Will ordered. I obeyed and took several steps back.

"You seem somewhat familiar. Have I threatened you before?" the man asked.

"I make a point of avoiding familiarity with pirates," Will said plainly.

"Ah, well then it would be a shame to put a black mark on your record, so, if you'll excuse me…"

I heard Will grab one of the many swords down from the wall.

"Do you think this wise, boy?" The stranger asked. "Crossing blades with a pirate?"

Will said boldly, "You threatened Miss Swann, and you scared Jenae."

The man slowly scraped his sword against Will's. "Only a little," he said devilishly. The next thing I knew, the two were fighting. With every clang of their swords, I felt a twinge of fear. I prayed that Will wouldn't get hurt. After a few moments, the man stated, "You know what you're doing. I'll give you that. Excellent form…but how's your footwork? If I step here," there were a few sword clangs as the two moved around. "Very good…and now I step again." By listening carefully to their footsteps, I could tell that they had switched places. After one more tap, he said with a flourish, "Ta!" He ran up to the back door. With a grunt, Will threw his sword at the door, jamming it in the lock.

After trying and failing to pull the sword out, the pirate said in a mocking manner, "That is a _wonderful_ trick, except, once again, you are between me and my way out. And now…" he drew his sword. "You have no weapon." At that, Will yanked an unfinished sword out of the fire. For some reason, the donkey started moving again. As they fought over by the gear system, the pirate shouted, "Who makes all these?" He was obviously referring to the swords Will kept on racks all over the shops.

"I do!" Will answered proudly. "And I practice with them…three hours a day!"

As the two came away from the gears, the man said, "You need to find yourself a girl, mate!" After fighting a little more, he added, "Or…perhaps the reason you practice three hours a day is that you've already found one, and are otherwise incapable of wooing said strumpet. You're not a eunuch, are you?"

"I practice three hours a day so that, when I meet a pirate, I can _kill it_!" Will shouted back. Somehow, the two managed to end up in the rafters. When they came back down, I felt myself being showered with sand. When the sword clanging stopped, I brushed myself off and stood at Will's side. "You cheated!" Will accused.

"Pirate," the man answered. People were banging at the door and shouting. "Move away!" he ordered.

"No," I said boldly.

"_Please_ move!" he said urgently.

"No!" Will shouted. "I cannot just step aside and let you escape!" I heard the man cock a pistol.

"This shot is not _meant_ for you." Suddenly, I heard the sound of breaking glass, and the man fell to the ground. The door burst open and a group of soldiers came into the shop.

"Excellent work, Mr. Brown!" I recognized the voice of Commodore James Norrington. "You've assisted in the capture of a dangerous fugitive."

"Just doing my civic duty, sir," Mr. Brown answered.

"Well, I trust you will always remember this as the day that _Captain_ Jack Sparrow _almost_ escaped. Take him away." Norrington commanded. The soldiers lifted him up and carried him out of the shop. Once the soldiers had left and Mr. Brown had gone upstairs, Will pulled me into a hug.

"Are you alright?" I asked in fear.

Will rubbed my back. "I'm fine. I'm just glad that wicked pirate is gone now."

"Me too," I replied, letting go of him. My breath was coming out in short gasps, almost as if I was shivering.

"Jenae?"

"Y-yes?"

"Are you alright?" Will rested his hands on my shoulders.

I shook my head. "I was so scared!"

Will hugged me again. "Maybe you should stay here tonight. You can take the spare room next to mine."

"Thank you," I whispered back, happy to be in the safety of my friend's arms.


	2. Escape

_**Eyes to See the World - Version 2**_

By: Raven in Red

Jenae, a young blind woman, joins Will and Jack in pursuit of the Black Pearl. JackOC, set during COTBP. Rewritten version of my original story, less Mary-Sueish and slightly different storyline.

**Chapter Two:** Escape

I was startled from my sleep that night by a booming sound coming from the harbor. The sounds of screams and shouting from the streets below, along with the breaking of glass and bricks.

"Cannonfire!" I gasped in fear, getting out of bed as quickly as possible. "Will!" I shouted urgently.

"Jenae!" Will ran into my room and grabbed my hands. "Come downstairs, now!" When we got down into the shop, he began arming himself. When he was done, he handed me a sword. "I pray you won't have to use it." After another scream from outside, he kissed my forehead. "I'll be back!"

My eyes filled with tears as Will ran out into the chaos that filled the streets of Port Royal. In fear, I sat against the wall in the farthest corner of the shop, waiting for Will to get back. All of a sudden, a cannonball crashed into the wall behind me. Bits of rock rained down on me. I didn't have time to duck before the biggest one struck my head.

* * *

"Jenae? Jenae!" I felt someone shaking my tired body.

"Will!" I gasped as I heard my friend's voice. As soon as the dizziness wore off, I asked, "What happened to me?"

"One of those rocks must have hit your head or something, because, when I got back to the shop, you were unconscious." He replied in panic.

I sighed and hugged him. "I'm just glad we're both alright."

"Me, too," he said. Then he grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. "Come on, we need to get to the fort! The pirates captured Elizabeth!" We wasted no time in leaving the shop and hurrying over to the fort. Once we got there, we approached the table where the governor and Commodore Norrington were gathered.

"They've taken her! They've taken Elizabeth!" Will said urgently.

"Mr. Murtogg, remove this man," Norrington said in a bored voice. Will shook off the soldier that tried to grab him.

"We have to hunt them down!" I said boldly.

"We must save her!" Will added.

"And where do you propose we start?" Governor Swann asked. "If you have any information concerning my daughter, please share it!"

"That…Jack Sparrow, he talked about the _Black Pearl_," One of the soldiers spoke up.

"Mentioned it is more what he did," another soldier corrected the first one.

"Ask him where it is!" Will said with excitement.

"Make a deal with him. He could lead us to it," I continued.

"No," Norrington said firmly, "The pirates who invaded this fort left Sparrow locked in his cell. Ergo, they are _not_ his allies." In a slightly quieter voice, he said, "Governor, we will establish their most likely course and-"

He was cut off when Will slammed a hand axe on the table. "That's not good enough!" he shouted.

"Mr. Turner," Norrington pulled the axe out. "You are not a military man. You are not a sailor. You are a _blacksmith_. This is _not _the moment for rash actions." He shoved Will off to the side. "Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only man here who cares for Elizabeth."

When Will and I left the fort, I spoke up, "Just because they won't ask Sparrow where the pirates have gone doesn't mean that _we_ can't." Will held my arm tightly.

"Let's go down to the prison and see if we can reason with him," he agreed.

* * *

Once we got to the prison, Will shouted out, "You! Sparrow!"

"Aye?" I recognized the voice of the pirate.

"You are familiar with that ship, the _Black Pearl_," I stated.

"I've heard of it," Sparrow sounded bored.

"Where does it make berth?" Will asked.

"Where does it make berth?" Jack sounded as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Have you not heard the stories?" When Will and I gave no reply, he continued, "_Captain_ Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sail from the dreaded Isla de Muerta. It's an island that cannot be found _except_ by those who already know where it is."

"The ship's real enough. Therefore its anchorage must be a real place. _Where is it_?" Will raised his voice a little.

"Why ask me?" Sparrow taunted us.

"Because you're a pirate!" I spat out.

"And you want to turn pirate yourself, is that it?" He asked us.

"Never!" Will declared, grabbing the bars. When he let go, he admitted sadly, "They took Miss Swann."

"Oh, so it _is_ that you've found a girl! I see. Well, if you're intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart, you'll have to do it alone, mate. I see no profit in it for me."

"We can get you out of here," I declared with a smirk.

"How's that? The key's run off," Sparrow contradicted.

"I helped build these cells," Will said. "These are half-pin barrel hinges." He lifted one of the benches and hooked it around the bars. "With the right leverage and the proper application of strength, the door will lift free."

"What's your name, love?" Sparrow asked.

I sighed. "Jenae Godfrey."

"And you?" he directed at Will.

"Will Turner," he said suspiciously.

"That would be short for William, I imagine. Good strong name…no doubt named for your father, eh?"

"…Yes," Will sounded even more suspicious.

"Ah…well, Mr. Turner and Miss Godfrey, I've changed me mind. If you spring me from this cell, I swear on pain of death I shall take you to the _Black Pearl_ and your bonnie lass. Do we have an accord?"

In turn, Will and I shook his hand. "Agreed," I said.

"Agreed," he repeated. "Get me out!" Will shoved down on the bench. I heard a loud breaking sound as Sparrow climbed out of his cell.

"Hurry! Someone will have heard that!" I warned him.

"Not without my effects!" he declared.

* * *

"We're going to steal a ship?" I asked with uncertainty as we gathered under a bridge near the harbor.

"That ship?" Will added.

"Commandeer," Sparrow corrected. "We're going to commandeer _that _ship, nautical term." Then he addressed Will. "One question about your business, boy, or there's no use going: this girl, how far are you willing to go to save her?"

"I'd _die_ for her!" Will declared.

"Oh, good. No worries, then," Sparrow replied. I became slightly suspicious. After a moment or so, he asked, "Do you see those rowboats down there?"

"Yes," Will answered.

"Jenae?" he directed to me.

I waved my hands in front of my eyes. "Oh, right," he remembered my blindness. I pointed out, "And until we've made further acquaintance, it's _Miss_ Godfrey."

"Alright, _Miss_ Godfrey," he teased. "Well, once those soldiers are out of the way, we need to climb under one of the boats. Savvy?"

"Alright, let's go," said Will.

Sparrow took my arm. I decided it wasn't worth it to protest as he led me down the beach. Will lifted up the rowboat as we climbed under. Once Will had joined us, we lifted it up and carried it down towards the water. I winced a little at first from the cold water, but eventually we were walking along the bottom of the harbor. The boat had trapped a bubble of air around us, which allowed us to breathe.

"This is either madness…or brilliance," Will said with uncertainty.

"It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide," Sparrow replied.

Once we had gotten far enough, Will took my hand as we ducked underneath the boat. He swam with one arm and held onto me with the other. However, somewhere along the line, my hand slipped from his. I began to panic and sink, since I was a terrible swimmer. I was losing water with every second. Suddenly, I felt myself being held by Sparrow. Once we had reached the surface, I breathed a sigh of relief and hugged him for saving my life.

"Thank you!" I said gratefully.

"No worries, love," he replied. Once I had caught my breath, we swam up to the ship. Sparrow climbed up first and then helped me. Will was last. When we were all assembled, Will and Sparrow walked down the stairs to the main deck, with me following close behind them.

"Everyone stay calm!" Sparrow ordered. "We are taking over the ship!"

"Aye, avast!" Will said boldly. The crew of the ship began to laugh.

"This ship cannot be crewed by two men and a woman," the man in charge mocked us. "You'll never make it out of the bay."

"Son," Sparrow said, "I'm Captain _Jack_ Sparrow. Savvy?"

Sparrow and Will forced all of the crew into one of the rowboats. Once they were out of the way, we gathered at the helm.

"Here they come," Will warned. Jack patted my shoulder gently. I smiled instead of shaking him off. Since he had saved me, I felt a certain level of respect for him.

"What's the plan?" I asked the 'captain'.

"Once the _Interceptor_ sails alongside us, we'll board it, unseen, and make our way off. We'll have to be quick, though," he replied, with a hint of warning. I was glad that he knew what he was doing, and that he had the right amount of authority.

After a couple minutes, Sparrow grabbed my hand. "Let's go!" he whispered loudly, leading us down to the bow. "Hold onto me," he instructed. I obeyed him and wrapped my arms around his shoulder. Using a rope from the sails, we swung across to the _Interceptor._ Will, using his hand axe, severed all the ropes connecting the two ships.

"Sailors, back to the _Interceptor_, NOW!" Norrington shouted.

After a few men fell into the water, Sparrow shouted happily, "Thank you, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way! We'd have had a hard time of it by ourselves!" He shoved me down onto the deck when I heard gunshots. After a little while, the shots stopped coming, and I decided that it was safe to stand up again. Will approached me and asked, "Are you sure you want to stay in that dreadful dress?"

I blushed a little bit and shook my head. I had been wearing a pink lacy gown with a corset. It wasn't exactly the proper attire for a ship.

Will laughed a bit. "I'll see if I can find something better for you to wear." Once he had left, Sparrow came up to me.

"Miss Godfrey, may I have a word?" When I nodded, he took my arm gently and led me over to the railing.

"Thank you for saving my life, Captain Sparrow. I am in debt to you," I said humbly.

"No worries, love…and now that we've made 'better acquaintance', you may call me Jack."

I laughed a little. "And you may call me Jenae." Just to be safe, I kept a couple steps' distance away from him. I still wasn't sure how I felt about him, but he had saved my life, and that had to count for something.

After a few moments of silence, he took a deep breath. "What's it like being blind?"

"It's hard to explain," I said a little bitterly. Then I softened a little. "It happened when I was twelve. I loved the beauty of the world so much. When I went blind, it felt like I had died inside. It's been seven years, but I still miss everything about my sight."

"I can only imagine what that must feel like," he replied gently. I smiled over at him. It felt good talking about myself to another person. It felt as if I had kept things trapped inside me, and now I was releasing them.

"Jenae?" Will called out. I carefully walked over to where his voice came from. Since the ship was new to me, I didn't know my way around through memorization, so I had to be extra careful.

"Yes, Will?" I answered. He handed a bundle of clothing to me.

"These should fit you well. Why don't you go change?"

I went into one of the cabins and changed. Will had given me a comfortable cotton shirt and pants, along with leather boots and a wide belt. I had a lot of trouble getting the belt on, so I went out to get Will's help. He wasn't around, so I had to find Jack. He was all too happy to help me, and he gave my waist a little squeeze when he was done. Once I had thanked him, I asked,

"Where are we headed off to?"

He sighed happily, "Tortuga!"

My face froze. "Tortuga?" I asked in disgust.

"Aye, love, Tortuga," he answered with a flourish.

"Um…why?"

"For a pirate like me, it's heaven on Earth!" He gave my nose a little tap.

"So, Will and I are just going to trail behind you wherever you go?" I crossed my arms.

"I'm getting to the point, love," Jack said as if I had threatened him. "There's actually a man there that I need to find. He can help us get a proper crew for out little journey."

"Alright, I guess I'll just have to put up with it, then." I said with a sigh, having heard every bad thing that was possible to hear about Tortuga. It was populated by pirates, drunken desperados, and whores, and it definitely wasn't the right place for a blind girl like me. With a sigh, I leaned on the railing again. "When will we get there?"

"Most likely by this evening," Jack replied. He turned and walked off towards the helm. I groaned in frustration. This was going to be a long night.


	3. Tortuga and Swords

_**Eyes to See the World - Version 2**_

By: Raven in Red

Jenae, a young blind woman, joins Will and Jack in pursuit of the Black Pearl. JackOC, set during COTBP. Rewritten version of my original story, less Mary-Sueish and slightly different storyline.

- - - - - - -

**This chapter is dedicated to shariebery. Happy Birthday! (and I'm sorry for updating so late)**

**Chapter Three:** Tortuga and Swords

Jack was right. We arrived in Tortuga early in the evening. As he and Will prepared to leave the ship, I stopped them.

"I'm coming as well," I declared boldly.

"Jenae, you know that's not a good idea," Will intervened.

"I don't care. I'm not leaving you two alone in a…_pit_ like Tortuga!" My voice rose a little.

Jack sighed. "Alright, love, you can come." He patted my shoulder. Will started to say something, but sighed instead. With Jack's help, I climbed down the gangplank. When we reached the dock, he leaned over and whispered, "Do _not_ let go of my arm."

"Alright," I agreed, holding onto him.

"Jenae, would you rather it was me?" I heard Will ask.

"No, I'm alright," I answered with a little smile. For some reason, I felt safe in Jack's grip. He kept a steady hold on me, and it kept me at ease. I smiled over at him and squeezed his arm a little. As we walked into town, I was immediately assaulted by the stench.

"More important, it is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep the sweet, proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy?" Jack sounded like he was in heaven. "What do you think?"

"It'll linger," said Will in a slightly strangled voice. "Jenae, be glad you can't see any of this mess."

"Oh, I _am _glad, but that doesn't change the fact that I can still _smell_ it!" I said with a choke.

"I'll tell you, mate," Jack continued, "If _every_ town in the world were like this one, _no_ man would ever feel unwanted." I let go of Jack's arm as he went off to talk with a couple other women. When he came back, Will had already taken my arm. He gave a little sigh before he led us into a pigsty. The smell was almost unbearable for me.

"Um, I think I'll wait outside," I said, choking from the stench. Will took my arm and led me out into fresher, but still odor-filled, air. I breathed a slight sigh of relief. "How long are we going to be here?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

"Hopefully no later than tomorrow morning," Will replied. "I know how you feel, Jenae. I don't like this place any more than you do." Jack soon came out of the pigsty, talking to another man.

"Let's go," Jack said as he led us into a tavern. Although I couldn't see, I could semi-clearly paint a picture of the bar fight going on around me. I could hear bottles breaking, men punching other men, various swears and shouts, and occasionally a gunshot or sword clang.

Jack brought Will and me over to a pillar. "Keep a sharp eye," he warned before he walked off. Will and I stood in silence for several long minutes. I nearly dozed off a couple times, but it was too noisy for me to actually fall asleep. Every so often, Will would have to pull me out of the way of other people as they stumbled around, drunk. Fortunately, as soon as I decided that I'd had enough, Jack came and told us that it was time to go.

"_Thank_ you!" I said with a sigh. I was ready to finally be out of that place. Jack took my arm again and led us all back to the _Interceptor_. Once we were finally aboard, I sighed and leaned on the railing. "I dearly hope I never have to there again!" I said.

"I understand, Jenae," Will came up by my side. "At least we'll have a crew now."

"I suppose it was worth it, then," I admitted. I probably should have just stayed on the ship.

"Well, I'm going to find myself a cabin and head to bed. Goodnight, Jenae," Will gave me hug and then walked off.

"Aren't you getting tired, love?" Jack asked as soon as Will left.

"Not really," I replied as he stood by my side. "I'm going to stay up a little while longer."

"I wish you could see all the stars," Jack said sadly.

"So do I," I sighed. "I haven't been able to see them for seven years."

"That really is a shame," Jack said as he patted my shoulder. "It must feel awful."

"I've gotten used to it by now," I pointed out. "So it doesn't bother me as much."

"You've got a point there," Jack added. "So, can you see _anything_?"

"Well, for starters, everything is this pale gray color. If things are close enough, then I see faint outlines, but they have to be within five feet away," I replied. "I could probably learn to fight with a sword if I had enough practice, because a sword would be close enough for me to see at least the outline. I can also hear really well, so I could probably hear the sword as it cuts through the air."

"That's impressive," said Jack. "I've never thought of it that way."

"Although, if I try to do that for too long, I start getting dizzy. I used to play with wooden swords with my brothers, but after more than ten or so minutes, I would get dizzy and collapse," I pointed out.

"Well, Jenae, I can teach you how to handle a sword, and we can just be careful with it," Jack said. I could tell he was smiling.

"Thank you, Jack," I said with a smile. "That really would be quite useful."

"I'll help you train a few times a day, so we can build up your ability quickly," said Jack. "It may only be a few days before we have to fight. It all depends on our timing."

"I don't care how good I end up. Fighting is still going to scare me," I said sadly.

"Either Will or I will be with you at all times, and we can cover for you if you get hurt," Jack patted my shoulder again.

"Thanks," I said with a little laugh. "I'm sure you'll be a good teacher."

"You know it, love," Jack said. I could imagine him smirking or winking. All I could do was laugh a little. I felt at least a little safer, knowing that I would actually be able to fight and defend myself, thanks to Jack. Although I was still unsure how I felt about him, every conversation brought me closer and closer to my true feelings.

- - - - - - -


	4. Legends and Sword Training

_**Eyes to See the World - Version 2**_

By: Raven in Red

Jenae, a young blind woman, joins Will and Jack in pursuit of the Black Pearl. JackOC, set during COTBP. Rewritten version of my original story, less Mary-Sueish and slightly different storyline.

**Author's Note:** This chapter is mostly just dialogue between Jack and Jenae…and a bit of flirting here and there. Enjoy!

**Chapter Four:** Legends and Sword Training

My first day of sword training was easy. Jack and I stood out in the biggest open area we could find on the main deck of the ship. Jack and I each held wooden rods.

"Alright, Jenae," Jack began. I heard him take hold of his rod and swing it up into the air. "Tap my rod with yours."

Almost instantly after he finished his command, I gave his rod a hard whack. "Very good," he said, backing off slightly. "Now let's try again." This time, I heard the rod moving a lot faster, but I only ended up being off by an inch or so, according to Jack. "Speed is definitely going to be something we'll be working on," he said. "You never know how fast or how hard your enemy will be attacking."

We did several more rounds with the rods. Sometimes, Jack and I would end up carefully sparring for a few minutes. I seemed to be getting better, although I still missed quite a few times. We decided not to go faster until I stopped missing, which wouldn't be for a little while. When Jack and I finally finished for the day, I had been able to spar until I knocked the rod out of his hands. He admitted that he was going easy on me, but I was still making progress.

"You're definitely a surprising girl," Jack said as we leaned on the railing.

"Thank you," I replied with a small laugh. "And you're much more than surprising. I can be sure of that."

Jack playfully poked me in the stomach. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, really," I smiled towards him.

"And how can you be so sure of that?" he got closer to me so that we were facing each other. He gently ran his hand along my arm.

"I have my ways," I replied with a smirk.

"Don't be so certain of that, love," he gave my nose a tap. "You've only seen the beginning." Then he added, "'Seen' in the figurative sense."

"I know what you mean," I said kindly. Ever since we had boarded the _Interceptor_, I had felt safe with Jack. As long as I had Will with me as well, I knew that he would never let him do anything wrong to me. "So, where are we going from here? You haven't told me much."

"Do you know who Hector Barbossa is?" Jack asked.

"Not a clue," I replied with a shrug.

"Back when I was captain of the _Black Pearl_, he was my first mate," Jack led me over to the railing. "One night, we were headed off to find the legendary treasure of Cortes, hidden deep within an island that cannot be found except for those who already know where it is."

I nodded, although it didn't make much sense.

"Well, as we're nearing the island, Barbossa comes to me and says that, since everything is in equal share, that should mean the location of the treasure too," With a sigh, Jack continued, "That night, since they decided they didn't need me anymore, Barbossa led a mutiny against me."

"What happened after that?" I asked, now that everything was making sense.

"They marooned me on a tiny, deserted island with a pistol, one bullet, and just the right amount of gunpowder. It's traditional when someone is marooned," Jack replied.

"That's awful," I said, frowning.

"I know, love," Jack said sympathetically. He reached over and touched my hand. "There are actually two reasons we're on this little journey," he continued.

"And what would they be?" I asked.

"First: we are going after Barbossa so I can finally kill him. Second: Barbossa and his crew have captured Elizabeth Swann, and Will seems to have a little crush on her, so we're going to rescue her," Jack answered.

"Alright, then," I said.

"Oh, there's something else you might want to know about the pirates, love," Jack added nervously.

"What about them?" I asked.

"They're cursed," said Jack as he clasped my hand.

"What kind of curse?" I was getting a little nervous.

"The treasure they found was the legendary Aztec gold given to Cortes. There are eight hundred and eighty-two identical pieces hidden on that island in a stone chest. However, it has been said that any mortal that removes even a single coin from the chest will be placed under a curse."

"But what effect does the curse have?" I continued as Jack squeezed my hand.

"Until just a few nights ago, when a couple of Barbossa's pirates came to visit me while I was in jail, the curse was a mystery to me. Now, I know that, when any of the cursed pirates stands under the light of the moon, they turn into fleshless, skeletal monsters."

I sighed nervously. "Can they still be killed?"

Jack sighed as well. "No, love, they cannot…at least not until the curse is broken."

"Lovely," I said sarcastically. Jack laughed a little and leaned closer.

"None of them will hurt you. Just trust in me," Jack whispered. His warm breath tickled my ear a little bit.

"I don't need to be babied, Jack," I pointed out, slightly annoyed. "I may be a woman, and I may be blind, but I can still take care of myself."

"I know that, love," said Jack, sounding slightly hurt. "I'm just being reassuring."

"Thank you for your concern, Jack," I said in slight apology.

"Don't worry, love," Jack playfully punched me in the arm. "I just like to tease you."

"I can tell," I replied knowingly. Then I changed the subject. "So, what more will we be doing with my training?"

"We're going to be doing a lot more sparring matches, so we can build up your speed. Then we'll do a round where you're completely blindfolded, and you have to rely purely on sound," Jack answered.

"Sounds good," I smiled. "Thanks."

* * *

The next morning, Jack and I sparred several more times. We were still using the rods, but we were building up speed. Jack had stopped going easy on me. Whenever I got the opportunity, I would gently poke him with the rod to imitate stabbing. He did the same to me, but not as often, because I was getting so good with defense. Eventually, we moved to real swords, but they were dull. They were easier to hear than the rods, since the flattened metal made a very distinct sound as it moved through the air.

One day, I was in a playful mood, so I ducked down a little and tripped Jack by slapping the flat side of the sword against his knees. As he fell to the deck, he pulled me down with him. He laughed and pulled my sword from my hands. We were both kneeling and facing each other, laughing.

"And may I ask what that was for?" Jack laughed.

"You've got to have a bit of fun every once in a while, Jack!" I jokingly scolded him.

"Oh, don't I know," Jack said. I could tell he was smirking. He then stood up and pulled me to my feet.

"You're a very good teacher, Jack," I said admiringly.

"Why, thank you, love," Jack took my hand and kissed it. He then kissed my cheek and forehead. "I try," he said as he backed off slightly.

"I'm sure you do," I sighed happily. "You're quite an interesting man."

"Didn't we already establish that?" Jack said jokingly as he tickled me a little bit.

"No, we established that you're more than surprising," I pointed out as I tried to avoid being tickled again. "I never said that you're interesting." He then started tickling me again. I laughed a squirmed and tried to get away, but he pulled me to him and attacked my waist from behind. "Stop, please stop!" I was laughing uncontrollably. Eventually, he did stop. He then wrapped his arms around my waist. "Jack, what am I going to do with you?" I asked in surrender.

"There's nothing you _can_ do, I'm afraid," he said in a mock-serious voice.

"I guess I'll just have to live with that disappointment," I said, pretending to be sad.

"Aye, love. I pity you," he joked as he kissed my cheek again. This was going to be quite an interesting journey.


	5. Leaving Jack

_**Eyes to See the World - Version 2**_

By: Raven in Red

Jenae, a young blind woman, joins Will and Jack in pursuit of the Black Pearl. JackOC, set during COTBP. Rewritten version of my original story, less Mary-Sueish and slightly different storyline.

- - - - - - -

**Chapter Five:** Leaving Jack

On the day that the _Interceptor_ arrived at the Isla de Muerta, Jack was finishing up the remainders of my sword training. Obviously, I would never be as good as Jack, but I tended to learn fast, so I could at least prevent myself from getting killed, which had to count for something. We never actually sharpened our swords, simply because we didn't want either person getting hurt.

"Well, I've taught you pretty much all I can teach you," Jack said as he sheathed his sword. "You definitely need a lot more work, but I've taught you enough so that you can avoid getting killed. Some of your techniques definitely need brushing up, but you're very quick and light, which is crucial for a good sword fight." He ceremonially kissed my hand. "Congratulations, Miss Jenae Godfrey."

"Thank you, Captain Jack Sparrow," I bowed my head and curtsied. He then linked arms with me and led me up to the helm. As we walked, I felt a change in the air. It had gone from sunny and dry to chilly and humid very quickly. We must have been nearing the island. Jack had mentioned that the island was still thick with ash from the volcanoes, which in turn caused the sky to fog up.

"We'll be leaving the ship soon, love," Jack informed me. "Do you want to stay here or come with me? It's your choice."

"I'll go with you, if you don't mind," I answered plainly.

"I'd be honored, darling," Jack clapped a hand on my shoulder and added, "But you should get that sword sharpened before we go."

"Good point," I shrugged. The blade probably wouldn't do much good when it was as dull as a butter knife. Luckily, there were plenty of men in the crew that could take care of that for me.

A little while later, Will, Jack, and I got into one of the _Interceptor_'s rowboats. Jack rowed while Will and I sat next to each other at the front. Will was holding an oil lamp, so we could safely navigate through the various caves. "What Code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?" Will asked.

"Pirate's Code," answered Jack. "Any man who falls behind…is left behind."

"No heroes amongst thieves, eh?" Will said with slight sarcasm.

"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one," as Jack rowed, he continued, "You've sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the Fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga, and you're completely obsessed with treasure." We eventually reached a small shoreline. Jack and Will got out, pulled the boat ashore, and then helped me get out. Everything was incredibly dark, so I had absolutely no hope of seeing anything, not even faint outlines. I grabbed Jack's arm tightly and followed him carefully.

"That's not true!" Will retaliated against Jack's last comment. "I am not obsessed with treasure!"

"Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate," Jack said wisely as he led us to a rocky overlook into the main cave. There was light, so the gray color I normally saw returned, and I could faintly see a beam of sunlight coming from the roof of the cave. The large, shapeless gray blobs must have been piles of treasure, and the smaller, thinner ones must have been the rest of the pirates. In mildly dim lighting, my eyesight was best. The harsh sunlight I had been getting for the past several days had really hurt my eyes, thus causing me to have even more trouble seeing than usual.

"Gentlemen, the time has come!" I heard a man's voice slightly off in the distance. It must have been Barbossa. I heard the cheers of a large group of men. "Our salvation is nigh! Or torment is near an end! For ten years, we've been tested and tried, and each man, jack of you here, has proved his mettle a hundred times over, and a hundred times again!" More cheering erupted from the pirates. "Punished, we were, the lot of us! Disproportionate to our crime! Here it is!" I heard a loud crash. "The cursed treasure of Cortes himself! Every last piece that went astray, we have returned. Save for this!"

"Jack!" Will cried out, trying to climb over the rocks.

"Not yet!" Jack pulled him out of sight. "Wait for the opportune moment!" He got up and walked off into the caves.

"Jack, where are you going?" I called out. I took Will's arm as he walked after Jack.

"And when is the opportune moment?" Will added as we reached Jack. "When it's the greatest profit to you?"

"May I ask you something?" Jack walked up to us and addressed Will. "Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?" When Will didn't answer, he continued, "Do us a favor. I know it's difficult for you but, please, stay here, and try not to do anything stupid." He walked off again. Will and I both sighed in frustration.

"He seems to like leaving us behind, doesn't he?" I was getting a little annoyed.

"He also seems to like to just do his own thing, and disregard other people's opinions," Will added.

"That's just _rude_," I pointed out.

"And I'm not going to let him risk Elizabeth's life," Will jogged back to the boat and grabbed something. When he came back to me, he instructed, "Stay right here. I'll be back once I get Elizabeth." Once I had nodded in approval, he walked off into the cave. I heard a whack, a thud, and the sound of a body hitting the ground. Will had most likely knocked Jack out. I felt the urge to run to his side and comfort him, but I didn't want to risk tripping in the dark. I just waited patiently for Will to come back. The voices in the distance were too far away for me to listen to anymore. It made me somewhat happy, because I didn't really _want_ to know what was going on in there.

Eventually, I heard two pairs of footsteps approaching me. "Jenae Godfrey, is that you?" I recognized Elizabeth's voice.

"Yes, Elizabeth, it's me," I replied with a smile. Will came up and took my arm.

"I had completely forgotten you were blind," Elizabeth said in guilt as the three of us walked back to the boats. I felt a twinge of sadness and regret for leaving Jack behind, but Will had rescued Elizabeth, and that was all we had left Port Royal for. Jack would be alright on his own. Despite how much I liked him, it was just a crush. I would get over it eventually.

"Goodbye, Jack," I whispered into the darkness.

"Wait," Will ordered as we approached the shoreline. "We need to take all the oars."

"Ah, so they won't be able to get away," Elizabeth caught on. She gently took my wrist and led me to our boat. Will and Elizabeth handed the oars to me one by one, and I stowed them under the seats of the rowboat. That way, I could still be of use, but I didn't have to stumble around in the dark. Once all of the oars were safely stowed in our boat, the three of us climbed in. Will, since he was the strongest, did all the rowing. He rowed faster when we heard the voices of the pirates approaching us.

"Hurry, Will," I said in fear. Eventually, we emerged from the dark caves and out into the misty air. The boat was weighed down by the numerous oars, so I heard Will panting quite a bit. He breathed a sigh of relief when we finally reached the _Interceptor_. Gibbs, Jack's first mate, pulled me aboard first. When Elizabeth climbed aboard, she complained, "Not more pirates!"

"Welcome aboard, Miss Elizabeth," said Gibbs.

"Mr. Gibbs?" Elizabeth sounded as if she recognized him.

"Hey, boy, where be Jack?" asked Gibbs.

"He fell behind," I answered for Will. The crew fell silent. I felt another twinge of sadness.

"Keep to the Code!" Gibbs ordered. The crew reluctantly got to work. Will took Elizabeth below deck. Using the railing as a guide, since Jack wasn't with me, I slowly walked up to the helm.

"It's a shame to lose such a valuable captain," Gibbs said sadly. I felt a rumble as the anchor was pulled up and the ship began to sail. "Jack is truly a unique man."

"I agree," I replied kindly. "He must have meant a lot to the crew."

"Aye, miss," said Gibbs. "Although he could be a tad strange, he was a great leader. He's a true pirate at heart, and he knows better than anyone about captaining a ship such as the _Pearl_."

I sighed as _Interceptor_ pulled farther and farther away from the island. I let out a single tear. Goodbye, Jack.

- - - - - - -


	6. The Battle

_**Eyes to See the World - Version 2**_

By: Raven in Red

Jenae, a young blind woman, joins Will and Jack in pursuit of the Black Pearl. JackOC, set during COTBP. Rewritten version of my original story, less Mary-Sueish and slightly different storyline.

**Chapter Six:** The Battle

Once I had pulled myself together, I asked Gibbs, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Actually, miss, you could steer if you'd like," Gibbs answered.

"Thank you," I said gratefully as I took his arm and he led me to the wheel. "Will you show me how?"

"Of course, miss," he replied as he showed me how to position my hands. "Now, you want to keep your feet about shoulders' width apart. That way, you'll be able to support yourself if you need to make a sudden turn." I nodded and spread my feet apart a little. "Good, now keep your hands firmly on the wheel when you're not steering. That way, the ship won't make any random sudden turns. Remember: starboard is right and port is left." Once I nodded, he instructed, "Now, make a slight turn towards starboard." I did as he said and the ship turned slightly. "Good job," Gibbs said in praise. "You have a very steady hand." He gave me a few more directions. "Also, if you feel the ship turning in one direction, due to either waves or wind, you need to turn in the opposite direction. That's the part that requires a bit of strength."

"Mr. Gibbs!" I heard Anamaria shout as she came up the stairs.

"Yes?" Gibbs answered.

"The _Black Pearl_ is gaining on us!" she said urgently.

"Now, Miss Jenae," began Gibbs, "I have to go direct the crew now. Do _not_ let this ship stray from a straight course. Can you do that?"

"But she's blind!" Anamaria protested.

"I can _do_ it!" I said boldly.

"Whatever," Anamaria went off to the railing. She was probably going to monitor my progress. Sighing, I steadied the ship as it hit a wave. I kept my feet planted firmly on the deck and turned the wheel gradually. Gibbs was right. It really _did_ take a lot of strength. I could feel some of my muscles twitching, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. "I'm surprised," said Anamaria. "I didn't expect a blind woman to be this good at steering."

"I can't see, but I can still feel the waves," I pointed out as I continued steering. Then I heard Will's voice.

"Jenae!" he called out as he came up the stairs to the helm. "How did you learn to steer?"

"Gibbs explained it to me," I said with a smile. "I wanted to do at least _something_ to help."

"That's great," Will said as he patted my shoulder. "And hasn't Jack taught you how to handle a sword?"

"That he has," I replied. "He taught me enough so that I wouldn't get killed, but I'm no expert. Maybe you can teach me more once we return to Port Royal."

"That I will do," said Will. Then he had to go help the crew again.

"What's happening?" I heard Elizabeth shout as she climbed up to the helm as well.

"The _Black Pearl_!" I shouted back.

"She's gaining on us!" said Anamaria.

"This is the fastest ship in the Caribbean!" said Elizabeth.

"You can tell them that after they've caught us!" Anamaria fired back.

"We're shallower on the draft, right?" Elizabeth sounded like she was getting an idea.

"Aye," replied Anamaria.

"Well then can't we lose them amongst those shoals?" Elizabeth concluded.

"We don't have to outrun them long!" Gibbs chimed in. "Just long enough!"

"Lighten the ship!" Anamaria ordered.

"Stem to stern!" I added.

"Anything we can afford to lose, see that it's lost!" Gibbs shouted. The crew got busy. The _Pearl_ was much faster than the _Interceptor_, so it was the only option we had left. We were probably going to lose a lot of good supplies, but it had to be done.

"Gibbs!" Will came up to the helm again. "We have to make a stand! We must fight!"

"Load the guns!" I shouted.

"With what?" Anamaria spat out.

"Anything! Everything! Anything we have left!" Will answered impatiently.

"Load the guns!" shouted Gibbs. "Case shot and langrage! Nails and crushed glass! With a will!" Then Gibbs noticed something. "The _Pearl_'s gonna luff up on our port quarters! She'll rake us without ever presenting a target!"

Then Elizabeth spoke up. "Lower the anchor on the right side!"

"On the starboard side!" I said.

"It certainly has the element of surprise," said Will.

"You're daft, ladies! You both are!" Anamaria shouted.

"Daft like Jack!" Gibbs said. He then shouted to the crew. "Lower the starboard anchor! Do it, you dogs, or it's you we'll load into the cannons!" Then he came up to me. "Miss, can Anamaria take over the steering now? You need to get yourself to a safer part of the ship."

"No, I'm staying up here!" I protested. "Jack taught me how to fight!"

"Alright, but be careful!" Gibbs gave in quickly. I nodded and left the helm, meeting up with Will on the way down.

"Will, is everyone ready?" I asked with uncertainty.

"Yes," replied Will. "The cannons are all loaded." All of a sudden, the ship made a very sudden and sharp turn. Will held me tightly against his chest as the ship turned a full one hundred and eighty degrees. Once it had settled, I could hear the shouts of the pirates aboard the _Black Pearl_. "Keep us steady!" Will shouted, letting go of me and running off in another direction. I fearfully clutched the sharp sword I had strapped at my waist, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice. There was too much commotion for me to really know what was happening.

"Fire!" I heard a shout from the _Pearl_.

"FIRE ALL!" Elizabeth shouted as well. The air was suddenly filled with the booming sounds of cannonfire. Since my hearing was so good, every sound was amplified, which brought on a slight headache.

"Miss Godfrey!" Gibbs shouted, running to my side and clutching my arm. "Be ready! They're boarding!"

I felt a sudden twinge of fear, but I couldn't give up now. I had to help my friends, and I had to help Jack if possible. All of a sudden, I heard thumping sounds on the main deck. The pirates had boarded the ship. With no time to lose, I drew my sword and backed off as far as possible. I decided to simply wait for the pirates to come to me.

"Well, well, what have we here?"

I stood tall and faced the snarling pirate that was advancing on me. His footsteps were heavy and loud, and they shook the deck slightly.

It was now or never. I immediately blocked a heavy sword slash aimed at my neck. My attacker was tall, and I had to reach up slightly to successfully block the attack. My survival instinct was kicking in, and I even growled at him as I aimed a heart stab. He screamed and then fell to the deck. Although he was cursed and couldn't be killed, I still felt relieved.

"Jenae, is that _you_?" I heard a familiar voice.

"Jack?" I called out cautiously.

"Jenae!" Jack ran straight up to me and grabbed my arms. "I was worried," he admitted.

"It was so hard to just _leave_ you like that!," I said, afraid to break free from his grasp.

"But I'm right here now, love. There's no need to worry," Jack reassured me. His hand was secured around the back of my neck. He then started leaning in. I knew he was going to kiss me, so I leaned in as well. Just before our lips touched, Jack turned away. "Not here, love." Then he gasped in shock at something. Before I could ask what was wrong, he had pulled out of my arms and run off to the opposite railing. Afraid to get too caught up in the battle, I stayed where I was and waited. After only a minute or so, everything went silent.

"Why, thank you, Jack," said a rough male voice.

"You're welcome," Jack replied sarcastically. His voice sounded far away. I felt the urge to run to his side, but I couldn't bring myself to move away from my safe spot.

"Not you," the man said, annoyed. "We named the monkey Jack. Gents, our hope is restored!" The pirates started cheering. I felt defeat and disappointment. Within a few minutes I, along with the rest of the crew, was forced to board the _Pearl_. Suddenly, a thought came to me. _Where was Will?_ Elizabeth was at my side, whimpering.

"What happened to Will?" I asked cautiously.

"He's trapped below deck, and it's flooding!" Elizabeth replied in tears. Her response brought tears to my eyes as well. Will was my best friend.

"No!" I gasped out. Unfortunately, I was tightly restrained by two of the pirates before I could escape and help Will. I sobbed bitter tears for my best friend. Then I simply hung my head and surrendered.


	7. Marooned

_**Eyes to See the World - Version 2**_

By: Raven in Red

Jenae, a young blind woman, joins Will and Jack in pursuit of the Black Pearl. JackOC, set during COTBP. Rewritten version of my original story, less Mary-Sueish and slightly different storyline.

**Chapter Seven**: Marooned

I was forced, with the rest of the crew, into the mainmast of the _Black Pearl_, and a long length of rope was tied around us. Elizabeth and I were next to each other, at the front of the group.

"Any of you so much as thinks the word 'parley', I'll have your guts for garters," snarled one of the pirates.

Elizabeth all of a sudden clasped my hand and pulled us both out from under the ropes. Just as we were free, a loud explosion rattled my ears and nearly knocked me off my feet.

"Will!" Elizabeth and I both gasped. We ran towards Barbossa, kicking and punching him.

"You've got to stop it!" Elizabeth shrieked. Barbossa restrained her while another pirate shoved me back with the rest of the crew. Gibbs held onto me as best as he could through the ropes. Where was Jack?

"Welcome back, miss," Barbossa sneered at Elizabeth. "You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair now you return the favor." I heard Elizabeth start to scream. The pirates started grabbing at me, too. As I screamed, I was pulled into another pair of arms.

"No! Let _go _of me!" I punched at my captor.

"Shh, Jenae, it's me," I heard Jack's voice.

"Jack?" I had to make sure it was really him.

"Yes, Jenae, it's me," Jack reassured me, keeping a tight grip on me. His lips pressed to my neck over and over. I could feel the presence of the pirates around us, and it made me feel uncomfortable. With Jack around, though, I felt at least a little safe. I calmed down as he held me gently.

"Barbossa!" I heard a familiar voice shout from across the deck.

"Will!" Elizabeth gasped happily.

"She goes free!" Will jumped down onto the deck, cocking a pistol, probably Jack's.

"What's in your head, boy?" Barbossa strode towards him, slightly confused.

"She goes free," Will repeated.

"You've only got one shot, and we can't die," Barbossa pointed out.

"Don't do anything stupid!" Jack whispered loudly.

After a moment of pause, Will declared, "You can't…I can!"

"No!" Elizabeth and I gasped. I tried to run towards him, but Jack gently restrained me.

"Who _are _you?" Barbossa asked in confusion.

"No one," Jack intervened. "He's no one." He let go of my hand and placed himself in front of Barbossa. "…A distant cousin of my aunt's…nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though…eunuch."

"My name is Will Turner!" Will shouted in protest. "My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner! His blood runs in my veins!"

"He's a spittin' image of ol' Bootstrap Bill, come back to haunt us!" shouted a pirate as Jack took his place beside me again.

"On my word, do as I say," Will ordered, "Or I'll pull this trigger, and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker!"

"Name your terms, Mr. Turner," Barbossa said calmly.

"Elizabeth and Jenae go free!" Will shouted back.

"Yes, we know that one," Barbossa replied. I could almost hear the sneer in his voice. "Anything else?"

After a moment of consideration, Will added, "And the crew! The crew are not to be harmed!"

"Agreed," Barbossa made the deal. The pirates all began to murmur excitedly.

"Jack, what's going on?" I asked in panic. Jack gently placed my head on his shoulder and wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"Everything's going to be okay, love," he replied, sounding panicky as well.

* * *

"Go on, poppet! Walk the plank!"

Petrified, I stood, barefoot, on the edge of a narrow wooden plank. It was the only thing that kept me above the salty water. To make matters worse, my hands had been tied together. Tears dripped from my eyes. I was going to my death.

"You'll be next," a pirate sneered from somewhere behind me. I heard Elizabeth gasp.

"Barbossa, you lying bastard!" Will shoved his way through the crowd. "You _swore_ they'd go free!"

"Don't dare impugn me honor, boy!" Barbossa retaliated. "I agreed they go free, but it was _you_ who failed to specify when or where." He finished with a laugh. "Off you go," he snarled at me. Everything fell silent. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of my suppressed crying.

"Jenae, you'll be alright!" Jack shouted. I couldn't tell where his voice was coming from.

Taking one baby step at a time, I slowly approached the edge of the plank. My knees shook like an earthquake, and my heart pounded as if it would come right out of my chest. All of a sudden, there was a thud, the plank shook, and I lost my balance and fell into the water. Since my hands were bound and I couldn't swim, I just flailed around aimlessly, instinctively trying to reach the service.

Slowly, I began to feel heavy. Everything was crushing in all around me. Then, everything went black.

* * *

"Jenae!"

"Jenae! Wake up!"

I felt sand slipping between the folds of my hair and clothing. I was on land. Slowly, carefully, and dizzily, I held up one of my hands. It was met quickly by Jack, who fiercely pulled me into his arms.

"I thought you were _dead_!" Jack whined. His lips were pressed into the soft skin around my neck. Too tired to hug him in return, I just lay in Jack's arms.

"I'm right here," I whispered quietly. My throat hurt from all the salt water, and my hair was stuck in thick strands all over my face.

Jack gently let go of me so that I could sit upright. I gently reached out and caressed his face. "What happened to us? Where's Elizabeth?"

Jack clasped my hand and answered, "Barbossa marooned the three of us on this little deserted island. Elizabeth is off exploring a little."

With a yawn and a stretch, I pulled myself to my feet. With a sigh, I added, "And Will?"

"A prisoner," Jack answered sadly.

"No!" I clapped my hands over my opened mouth, causing Jack to protectively hug me again. I decided to simply surrender and let Jack hold me. Eventually, I pulled out of his grasp and walked off a little bit. "We're going to die out here, aren't we?"

"Don't say things like that, Jenae," Jack sounded tired and unenthusiastic.

"I don't exactly have a choice, Jack," I snapped. "We're stranded here for God only knows how long, and my best friend is as good as dead!"

"Jenae…" Jack slowly approached me and took my hands. "We'll do whatever we can to get off this island. I promise."

"Thanks," I said quietly. Then I pulled my hands away and sat down in the sand. Jack sat next to me. "So what are we supposed to do here?"

"Well, it's a tiny, deserted island. There's not really much we _can_ do," Jack sighed. I then let myself drop back onto the sand. I didn't care in the least that sand was getting in my hair and down in my clothes. I began to wonder what I had really gotten myself into by going with Will and Jack. I would probably never see my family again.

"What's wrong, Jenae?" Jack asked as he pulled me up into his arms. I lay back in his lap as tears began to gather in my eyes.

"I never should have left Port Royal!" I cried out, almost in a scream. "I made a mistake leaving home and I'll probably never see my family again!" I was now openly sobbing. Jack gently go and sat back a little.

"So you're saying…that all of this was for nothing?" Jack sounded deeply hurt. I immediately regretted what I had said.

"Of course not," I edged closer and held his hand. "I met you. That makes it all worth it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it like that."

"It's alright, love," Jack laughed a little. He then pulled me to his chest. His steady heartbeat calmed me and made me feel safe. At that moment, I knew everything would be alright.


	8. Rescue

_**Eyes to See the World - Version 2**_

By: Raven in Red

Jenae, a young blind woman, joins Will and Jack in pursuit of the Black Pearl. JackOC, set during COTBP. Rewritten version of my original story, less Mary-Sueish and slightly different storyline.

**Chapter Eight**: Rescue

After a while, Jack needed some time to think, so Elizabeth and I left him alone. Elizabeth brought me off to one side of the island. "Jenae, I've got a plan!" she whispered excitedly.

"Alright, what is it?" I was equally as excited. I wanted nothing more than to get off of that dreadful island.

"I warn you, we'll need to do it alone," Elizabeth continued. "Jack won't be a part of it."

I was a little concerned with her motives, but I nodded to signal her to continue.

"Alright," she began, "Earlier, Jack showed me a hidden cellar filled with rum and food. Tonight, we need to get him drunk and deeply asleep. Then, we need to get all the food into a large pile, soak it in rum, and then ignite it. It'll create a giant smoke tower to signal the Royal Fleet."

"I can understand why Jack won't be a part of it," I laughed a little. "I'm in."

* * *

That night, we built a giant bonfire on the beach. Jack and Elizabeth danced around it, singing some ridiculous pirate song. Jack was heavily drunk, while Elizabeth was pretending. I sat off in the trees, enjoying the nighttime breeze rather than risk my life by dancing around a bonfire when I couldn't see.

Eventually, the two stopped singing and collapsed onto the sand.

"When I get the _Pearl_ back, I'm gonna teach it to the whole crew, and we'll sing it all the time!" Jack declared in a slur. I couldn't help but laugh at how silly he sounded.

"And you will be positively the most fearsome pirates in the Spanish Main!" Elizabeth exclaimed with a triumphant air about her.

"Not just the Spanish Main, love," Jack continued, "the entire ocean…the entire _world_. "Wherever we want to go, we go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails. That's what a ship _needs_. But what a ship _is_, what the _Black Pearl_really is, is _freedom_."

"Jack," Elizabeth sighed, "It must be really terrible for you to be trapped on this island." I couldn't help but be bothered at the hint of romance in her tone of voice. I was also even more bothered at the fact that he called her 'love'.

"Oh, yes," Jack sighed as well, "But the company is infinitely better than last time, and the scenery has definitely improved." A single tear dripped from my eyes. Was this really happening? Was Elizabeth flirting with Jack? And, even though he was drunk, was he really flirting back?

"Mr. Sparrow," Elizabeth fake-slurred.

"Hmm?" Jack answered.

"I'm not entirely sure that I've had enough rum to allow that kind of talk," Elizabeth stated boldly.

"I know exactly what you mean, love," Jack's voice was suggestive. At that, I pulled myself to my feet and stormed off. I didn't care that I was walking straight into the water. I collapsed to my knees, unable to control my sobbing. I liked Jack. I _really_ liked him. Hell, I might have even loved him. Then…I didn't know anymore.

* * *

The next morning, I woke to the smell of smoke. Elizabeth must have carried out her plan without me. I sat up in the sand but made no effort to interact with either her or Jack. It didn't take me long to remember the previous night. I laughed as they both argued over the loss of the rum. Now Jack would have time to think about what he had done with Elizabeth.

It didn't take long for the plan to prove useful. Within a few hours, Elizabeth and Jack began cheering. I heard the sound of rowing oars. A ship must have come to rescue us.

I didn't speak as the three of us were put in a boat and rowed out to its parent ship. Only when I recognized a familiar voice did I finally speak.

"Jenae!" It was my brother Lucas.

"Lucas?" I was in disbelief as I rushed into his safe embrace. "Oh, my God, I'm so sorry!" I couldn't stand the sudden guilt that overcame me. I had completely abandoned my family to run off with my best friend and a pirate.

Before Lucas could say anything else, Elizabeth's voice rang out. "But we've got to save Will!" Suddenly I was reminded of my friend, still a prisoner of the _Black Pearl_.

"No!" Governor Swann protested. "We will return to Port Royal immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates!"

"Then we condemn him to death!" I released myself from Lucas's arms and spoke up.

"The boy's fate is regrettable," Swann sighed, "But, then, so was his decision to engage in piracy." He seemed to spit out the last word.

"To rescue me, to prevent anything from happening to me!" Elizabeth pursued.

Jack stepped forward. "If I may be so bold as to inject my professional opinion, the _Pearl_was listing near the scuppers after the battle. It's _very_ unlikely she'd be able to make good time. Think about it: the _Black Pearl,_the last real pirate threat in the Caribbean, mate. How can you pass that up, right?"

Commodore Norrington replied stiffly, "By remembering that I serve others, Mr. Sparrow, not only myself."

"Commodore, I beg you, please do this," Elizabeth pleaded, "…For me…as a wedding gift."

"Elizabeth, are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?" Swann seemed to be in shock.

"I am," Elizabeth declared.

"A wedding! I love weddings! Drinks all around!" Jack exclaimed. I scoffed in disgust. Then Jack sighed. "I know. Clap him in irons, right?"

"Mr. Sparrow," Norrington addressed him. "You will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with a bearing to Isla de Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all _possible_ meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave'. Do I make myself clear?"

"Inescapably clear," Jack answered.

* * *

That night, I stood alone by the railing. After a long reunion talk with Lucas, I was worn out and homesick.

"I've noticed you're not speaking to me," I heard Jack's voice, but I offered no response. "I see," he came up beside me. "Might there be a reason for that?"

"You don't love me," I finally managed to say. I had to fight to keep my voice steady.

"Now, that's a bit of a leap," Jack seemed surprised. "Why do you assume I don't love you?"

"I heard you and Elizabeth last night."

"Jenae, I know that to say I was drunk is a terrible excuse, but it's the only one I've got. I was drunk, and when I'm drunk I'm not myself…well, I _am_ myself, but just not the myself that you've seen so far." I couldn't help but smile a little bit. A feeling of relief was sweeping over me. "Just know that I never meant to hurt you and that your assumptions regarding my feelings were completely and utterly _wrong_." That was enough to convince me. Without another word, I pulled him into a warm hug.

When I loosened myself from his embrace, I caressed Jack's face and placed my thumb at the edge of his mouth. I then used it to guide my lips until they met his. It was a moment of pure magic.


End file.
